Secrets
by TLY
Summary: The story centers around Dan and Serena as they are forced to overcome more obstacles in their relationship. The love triangle between Chuck, Blair and Nate will be a sub-plot. Dan/Serena Chuck/Blair/Nate
1. Chapter 1

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** To be honest, I shouldn't have started a story because I have my GCSE examinations in less than two weeks. I'm sorry but I won't be able to upload new chapters very often because I have to revise.

* * *

As the cool New York air continued to drop in temperature, Serena enjoyed the warmth that her scarf provided and brought the cup of hot coffee to her lips. She took a long sip while she scanned the streets for any sign of her boyfriend. They had shared an awkward dinner with their families last night and Serena wanted to make sure that things were alright between them. It had taken them a long time to overcome the many obstacles that stood in their way and she wasn't prepared to let this ruin everything that they had worked for.

"Serena, are you listening to me?" Blair asked, suddenly aware that Serena wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. Following her friend's shifting gaze, she let out a loud sigh as Serena turned towards her with a sheepish grin. "Ever since you got this _boyfriend_ of yours, I've dropped down to second on your list of priorities."

"B, you're my best friend," Serena smiled, letting out a gentle laugh. "Dan and I have been dating for almost eight months now; I thought you would be used to it. I just want to reassure him that we're okay. He looked really worried when he left last night."

Blair slowed to a stop, removed her arm from where it was looped around Serena's and faced her with a soft smile. "S, I love you and as much as it pains me to admit this, Humphrey may actually have a point. Your parents are dating each other and if they get married – which, judging by your mom's track record, actually seems likely – then the two of you may as well be committing incest. It has to be weird for your families."

Hearing this didn't do much to ease Serena's nerves. She had told herself what Blair had just told her almost a million times since her mother and Dan's father had started dating. Although she insisted that she was fine with the situation, the word 'marriage' always managed to make her feel really uncomfortable. If anything, she would like to attend a Humphrey-van der Woodsen wedding as the bride, not the daughter of the bride.

She was relieved to see Dan walking towards her and sent a warning glare to Blair. A potential brother-sister relationship with her boyfriend was not something that she wanted to discuss with said boyfriend. Wiping any remaining traces of anxiety from her expression, Serena wore what she hoped was a convincing smile and wrapped her arms around Dan's neck, kissing him briefly on the lips. A longer kiss would have been preferable but she didn't want Blair to comment on their public displays of affection.

"Hey," he smiled at her.

Dropping her arms from his neck, she slid one hand down his arm and clasped his hand tightly. "Hey," she replied, leaning in for another kiss. Their lips met and she allowed herself to give in to temptation, closing the gap between their bodies even more. She could feel him tear away from her as they heard the click of a shutter.

"I'm predicting a _Gossip Girl_ post in the next few minutes," Blair stated in a teasing tone as the two young freshman girls ran into the school, giggling at the picture they had taken.

Although she was happy that Serena was finally with a guy that treated her right, she knew that her best friend could see through the jealousy that she desperately tried to hide. It wasn't the attention that Serena received which bothered her; it was the loving boyfriend. Throughout the past few weeks, it had become common knowledge that Blair had not only one, but _two_ suitors. The only problem was that they both seemed reluctant to step up and become her boyfriend; instead, they wanted her to make the decision.

A limo pulled up outside the school, a few steps from where the three of them were standing. Blair instantly recognised it as a Bass limo even though it looked just like any other limo. Abruptly turning her head towards her friend, Serena watched Blair's expression carefully, glancing back in Chuck's direction when she heard his footsteps.

"Let's go inside," Serena murmured to her boyfriend, looking back and forth wearily between her stepbrother and her best friend. It wasn't her place to interfere, especially since Nate was her friend as well. Feeling the warmth of Dan's body, she shifted closer to his side as he moved his arm to wrap it around her waist. They shared another kiss but once again, it was interrupted by a third party.

Wolf-whistles rang through the air as the couple stared in confusion and irritation at the two St. Jude's students who were watching them. They were medium-height; one of them had blonde hair while the other had a lighter shade of brown. Dan recognised them both from his English class and rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the same time. They were both immature, barely scraping a pass with their essays and exactly the type of people from Serena's world that he hated.

He watched them head in their direction, stopping a few feet away as they dropped their cigarettes on the floor. The blonde-haired boy started walking again, this time continuing until he was stood right in front of Dan. Releasing the smoke that he had stored in his mouth, he laughed as Dan spluttered after having been hit in the face with it.

Serena glared at him. "That was really pathetic, Brad," she said angrily.

"You actually remembered my name," he responded, feigning surprise. "But then again, with a body like this," he paused to gesture at himself. "How could you not?" Brad winked knowingly at Serena, basking in the satisfaction of annoying her but when he noticed the confusion on Dan's face, it made things all the more interesting. "Wait, don't tell me she hasn't told you," he said with an excited grin on his face.

Taking the bait, Dan asked, "Tell me what?" He wasn't directing the question at Brad though. Serena shifted uncomfortably under his enquiring gaze, her heart beating fast as she shot a pleading look at the boy stood in front of her. This didn't go unnoticed by Dan, only succeeding in causing him to grow even more suspicious. She felt her stomach drop as Brad's friend chose this moment to join the three of them in conversation.

"Losing our virginities to Serena van der Woodsen," Brad grinned. "That was a night to remember, wasn't it?" He looked as if he was about to burst from the joy at revealing this secret but nevertheless, he waited patiently for his friend to reach his side. "Serena has the most beautiful body, almost like a goddess. I bet you still look as sexy as you did on that night. What do you think, Matt?"

A smirk crept on his face when he saw Dan snap his head in Serena's direction, watching her with disbelief. "I don't know why you look so surprised, Humphrey," Matt, the brown-haired boy, sneered. "Most of the boys at St. Jude's have lost their virginity to her. She really knew her way around a bed. I'm fairly certain there's no one as experienced as her in the whole of New York City."

Dan was growing immensely angry. He knew all about Serena's wild past when she was forced to confess everything to him after the incident with Georgina. He didn't want to know the names of every guy that Serena had ever had sex with but he also didn't want this topic to be sprung upon him first thing in the morning with absolutely no preparation at all. Serena was refusing to make eye contact with him but Dan could feel her hands wrapping tightly around his.

"In your very experienced opinion, Serena, who do you think was better in bed?" Brad asked, revelling in the desperation that Serena was emitting as she watched Dan's expression worriedly. "If you've forgotten, don't worry about it, we don't mind refreshing your memory," he laughed, slapping his friend on the back. "I'm sure dear Daniel over here won't mind lending us his room."

Something in Dan snapped and he pulled away from Serena, grabbing Brad's collar forcefully with one hand while he clenched his other one. He felt Serena tugging on his arm, frantically repeating, "Dan, it's not worth it. _He_'s not worth it. Come on, just let him go. Just walk away. Please Dan." When he refused to release Brad from his grip, her eyes swiftly searched the entrance, hoping that either Chuck or Nate were going to walk into school at any second and break them apart.

"Go on Humphrey," Brad laughed mockingly, trying to goad him into a fight. "Hit me. I dare you. Or are you not 'man' enough?" Rage coursed through Dan's body and his knuckles were starting to turn white as he clenched his fist tightly. Smirking again, Brad sneered, "Hit me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Pulling his arm back, Dan instantly swung it towards Brad, letting go of his collar at the same moment that his fist collided with Brad's face. He could feel the pain of the impact on his hand but it was overshadowed by the satisfaction of seeing Brad stagger backwards, holding his bleeding nose, eventually falling onto the ground. Matt immediately knelt down to see how his friend was while Serena pulled Dan's hand from his side and inspected it for any injuries. The Constance Billard girls had already taken out their cell phones and started snapping pictures of the scene before them. Serena heard her cell phone's message tone go off but ignored it.

"What is going on?" barked a voice from behind them. Dan and Serena glanced back to see the St. Jude's headmaster walking towards them. "Mr Taylor," he began, extending a hand to Brad who was still on the ground. Brad took it, shooting a sly smirk at Dan while the headmaster pulled him to his feet. "Mr Taylor," the headmaster repeated. "I hope you did not just participate in a fight."

"It wasn't his fault, headmaster," Matt protested. "Dan purposely started an argument with us and he tried to goad Brad into punching him but when Brad refused and tried to walk away, Dan pulled him back and punched him."

The headmaster turned to face Dan with a disapproving glare. "Mr Humphrey, I am most surprised at your behaviour. To my knowledge, your father has worked extremely hard to send you and your sister to St. Jude's and Constance Billard, and to repay him with such a reckless attitude is disappointing. I want you to apologise to Mr Taylor right now."

"Hang on," Dan said in a defensive tone. "I didn't do anything to him. Okay, so I did punch him but that was only because _he_ was making offensive comments about my girlfriend. I'm not going to apologise to him because I didn't do anything wrong. Headmaster, not to be immodest, but I am a much more responsible student than Brad or Matt, and I have been working really hard to get into an Ivy League college. I'm hardly going to throw everything that I have worked for down the drain by deliberately starting a fight, especially with Bradley Taylor of all people."

He stopped to take a breath and felt a rush of relief run through him as the headmaster fixed a suspicious look at Brad. Serena had stayed silent, watching with a sense of pride at the way her boyfriend had just stood up for himself. Biting her lip nervously, she waited for the headmaster to speak again, gripping Dan's hand tightly in her own. A small smile crept onto her face when he didn't pull away. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Blair, Chuck and Nate hurry into the school, spotting the confrontation at once.

"Mr Humphrey, Mr Taylor, we are going to have a chat about this in my office." The headmaster spun around, heading into the St. Jude's building as Brad started to trail behind him. Serena felt Dan's hand loosen around hers and when she looked up, her heart thumped furiously against her chest with disappointment as he refused to look at her.

"Dan..." she started to say, but he had already caught up with the headmaster and Brad. She watched him walk away until he was out of sight, not moving her gaze until Blair reached her. "I guess you received a _Gossip Girl_ post about the fight." Serena removed her cell phone from her bag and deleted the message without reading it, fiddling with the phone in her hands afterwards. "I hope he's going to be alright," she murmured with a longing glance at the door he had entered through.

Nate took a step forward and stood by Blair's side. He didn't notice Chuck's movement at the same time which had placed him on the other side of Blair. "Why did Dan punch Bradley Taylor?" Nate asked in bewilderment. As far as he was concerned, Brad and Matt were like Chuck and him. They had been best mates for as long as anyone could remember, except they were annoying, immature bastards, unlike Chuck and him. Dan had never so much as said a word to either of them so why he would suddenly throw a punch at Brad didn't make any sense at all.

Glancing away, Serena made eye contact with a confused Blair, who didn't even know that Dan could fight. She let out a deep breath and dropped her gaze to the ground, mumbling in a barely coherent voice, "I slept with Brad and Matt on the same night over a year ago." Forcing herself to look at her friends, she was faced with a shocked Blair and Nate while Chuck just shot her a smirk.

"Impressive," Chuck murmured, ignoring the disgusted look that Blair had sent in his direction. "But I hope you do realise that Bradley Taylor's father has recently made a very generous six-figure donation to St. Jude's. Whether Humphrey was provoked into the fight or not, he's not going to walk away from this situation without a punishment. Bradley Taylor, on the other hand... well, I wouldn't be too surprised if he has the final say on said punishment."

"It wasn't Dan's fault though," Serena stated in a defeated tone. "It's not fair for him to take the blame for this when he isn't even the one in the wrong." She felt as if she were ready to throw up, having to stand here and wait for Dan to return, not knowing what was going to happen to him and where things stood between them now. If she didn't have a past that was filled with secrets then her relationship with Dan wouldn't have to be dragged through revelation after revelation. "I'm going to go tell the headmaster that it wasn't his fault."

As she started to walk away, Blair grabbed her arm and stopped her. "S, Chuck's right. Bradley Taylor was failing every subject before that 'donation' and look at him now. No matter how bad his essays are, the teachers still give him a pass and it's not just any pass, it's a pass with a plus." When Nate gave her puzzled look, she rolled her eyes and said, "A C-plus."

"Why couldn't you have just said that instead?" Nate asked her, wondering why she always liked to complicate simple things. "It's so much easier to just say he gets a C-plus in his subjects but for some reason, you had to say that he gets 'a pass with a plus'. I don't understand you sometimes."

Blair shot him an annoyed look before turning her attention back to Serena. "I think we're getting off-topic here. Serena, unless Dan's father can write a check for half a million dollars to St. Jude's by the end of the day, it looks like Dan will be at a disadvantage." She knew she was worrying her friend but Blair was never one to hold back on the honesty. Serena needed to hear this and then they could get to Blair's favourite part of every situation – the revenge. "And it's also not good for Dan to have this on his record, especially when we have college interviews next month."

Students were starting to enter both buildings for the first lesson of the day but the four of them stood rooted to the spot they were standing in. Serena scanned the crowds to see if Dan had come back out but she couldn't focus on the figures as her heart started to beat faster in panic. She couldn't go to class without knowing if he was alright or not but she also couldn't stand out here all day with her friends.

"Why don't we meet outside the school entrance at lunch and come up with a plan to help Humphrey?" Chuck suggested. He would never do something for anyone if he didn't get anything in return; helping Dan would allow him to spend more time with Blair, doing something that they both loved. A smirk tugged at his lips as he saw Blair's eager expression watching Serena's anxious one. When Serena eventually nodded in agreement, Chuck continued, "Bradley Taylor and his father are good at keeping secrets but not as good as I am at unravelling them."

"Wait," Nate interrupted. "Shouldn't we find out if Dan is actually in any trouble before we start all this scheming? Maybe the headmaster will let him off with a minor punishment."

Nate was his best friend but Chuck couldn't resist further pointing out the differences between Blair and him. "Nathaniel, if you don't want to get your hands dirty, I'm sure we can handle this between the three of us. Even if the headmaster decides to ease off on Humphrey's punishment, Bradley Taylor isn't going to drop this. And it certainly wouldn't be the first – or the second – time that he's had someone expelled from St. Jude's."

Determined to prove to Blair that he was just as good as Chuck, Nate stared him straight in the eyes and said in a firm voice, "I'm in."


	3. Chapter 3

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Flipping his phone open, Dan sighed at the screen. He had received twelve messages from Serena since this morning and they had all said the same thing. Stopping to think, he tried to convince himself that he wasn't being unreasonable because if it had been the other way round, she would have been mad as well. He wasn't completely mad at her though; he loved her too much to be. As he continued to make his way towards the library that the two schools shared, Dan subtly glanced to his left and then to his right, preparing to avoid Serena if she appeared.

The wind was cold and when it slashed him across the cheek, Dan could feel the sting of it. His focus on the pain caused him to be caught off-guard when he almost walked right into Serena and Blair who had, unfortunately for him, left the library at that moment. He watched his girlfriend shift uncomfortably while Blair sent him a subtle glare, almost as if she were silently warning him to think before he spoke. The silence grew more awkward as Serena's eyes pleaded with him to forgive her.

"Hi," Serena said hesitantly, taking a small step forward to be closer to Dan. She reached for his hand but he quickly moved them into his pockets. A flash of hurt crossed her expression and she swiftly changed the subject. "I-I sent you a few messages this morning; did you receive them? I mean, there's probably something wrong with the network so that may be the reason why you didn't get them or why I didn't receive yours. It happens sometimes but I don't really know why."

"I didn't reply to your messages," Dan interrupted in an icy tone that was unlike him.

Serena tried to hide how crushed she was by his behaviour towards her, dreading the fact that he was either in trouble or their relationship was. "Oh," she mumbled lamely. "Well, it wasn't really anything important. I just wanted to know what happened this morning with the headmaster. Are you alright? You didn't get into any trouble, did you? I was thinking about speaking to the headmaster myself and explaining to him what had happened this morning because it really wasn't your fault." She stopped abruptly when she realised that she was rambling. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Dan, I'm really sorry."

His expression softened when he saw the tears that were threatening to spill over in Serena's eyes. Dan knew all about her past and he had accepted it because everyone on the Upper East Side had their secrets. It still came as a shock to him when these secrets were revealed and the content always seemed hurt him in one way or another. On the other hand, it wasn't like Serena had cheated on him. This had happened over a year ago before she had even known who Dan Humphrey was. Things were different now; _Serena_ was different now.

"It's not your fault," he admitted. "I overreacted." Removing his hands from his pockets, he took Serena's into his own, smiling slightly to ease her worries. "I just didn't see it coming but it probably wasn't the best decision I've ever made, although punching Brad did feel pretty amazing." Serena laughed gently and leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder. Dan wrapped his arms around her comfortably and continued speaking. "The headmaster will let us know if there are any punishments by the end of the week."

Pulling away, Serena instantly leant back in for a kiss, feeling relieved that things were fine between them now. Although she was still worried that Dan would get in trouble for punching Brad, Serena pushed those thoughts aside and hoped for the best. She broke the kiss with a huge smile on her face before eagerly kissing him again. His response was just as enthusiastic as hers but Blair's voice cut into their moment of privacy seconds later.

"Unless the two of you want to end up on _Gossip Girl_ for the third time today, I suggest you end the PDA now; or continue this someplace else because I really do not want to watch you make-out with each other." Reaching for Serena's arm, Blair said, "Sorry Humphrey; Serena and I have already made plans for lunch but look on the bright side, you can be known as 'lonely boy' again. I'm sure you've been missing that nickname of yours."

Dan rolled his eyes, having gotten used to Blair's attitude towards him months ago. It didn't offend him anymore and although it was hard to believe at times, she had actually become a lot nicer to him. He learnt from Serena that Blair's sarcastic remarks were just a part of who she is. "It's okay; I have a history paper to work on," he told Serena, ignoring Blair's presence. "I was planning on spending the whole of lunch in the library anyway." He smiled and kissed Serena lovingly, reluctantly stopping it to prevent himself from getting lost in the moment. "I'll wait for you after school," he said, giving her one last kiss before heading through the library doors.

Looping her arm around Serena's, Blair began to lead the way out of school. "Come on, we're late. Chuck and Nate are waiting for us outside the school." She felt Serena's footsteps begin to slow down and glanced to her side to see what was happening. Serena's face was filled with indecision, looking between the entrance and the library. "S, you heard what Dan said. He won't find out what's happening until the end of the week. There are still two days left. It won't hurt to find out some information on Bradley Taylor and his family. It can be our back-up plan."

A smile pulled at Serena's lips as she listened to Blair try and persuade her. All day long, Blair had been keeping one close eye on the time, waiting for lunch to arrive. Serena couldn't be certain whether Blair really loved getting revenge as much as she claimed, or if she just wanted to spend more time with Chuck and Nate. It worked in Serena's favour as well because she knew that whether the odds were even or not, it would make her feel much better if they had a plan prepared to help Dan if – or _when_ – needed.

"Alright, let's go see what Chuck has found," Serena relented, linking arms with Blair again. They left through the entrance and stopped when they spotted a limo sitting by the sidewalk. Blair watched the limo with an irritated expression while Serena tried to cover the amusement on her face with a nonchalant look. "B, are you coming?" she asked, taking a few steps towards the limo where the chauffer was stood, ready to open the door for them.

Without responding, Blair stepped into the limo after Serena and they sat side-by-side on the back seat, sensing the awkward atmosphere that had taken place before their entrance. Chuck was smirking more than ever as he sipped on a glass of champagne, and Nate was deep in thought. He knew he had to step up his game if he wanted to win Blair over.

"Are you going to tell us what you found out, Bass, or are we supposed to guess?" Blair asked impatiently with a hint of annoyance lacing her words.

Draining his glass of champagne, Chuck's devilish grin grew wider. "I was reminiscing over the memories of the first time you and I were in a limo together," he said, talking directly to Blair. "Alone," he chose to add when he saw Nate glower at him. "I believe that was a night of many firsts."

"Just tell us what you found out, Chuck," Nate interrupted in an icy tone.

"Patience, Nathaniel," Chuck murmured, enjoying the power he had over the conversation. "But then again, that was one of the problems between Blair and you, wasn't it? There was too much waiting, not enough excitement." He didn't proceed when he noticed Blair glaring at him. A rare, apologetic look crossed his face and Blair found herself smiling at him. It vanished when she saw jealousy wash over Nate's expression. "Matthew Williams recently experimented with drugs and has created quite an addiction for himself," Chuck informed them.

Serena was evidently as confused as Blair and Nate were. She spoke for the first time since she had gotten into the limo. "Chuck, why are you finding out information about Matt when we're supposed to be going after Brad?" she asked.

"Because," Chuck began, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "Matthew's father has recently received a lot of publicity for the money that he has donated to several rehabs in New York. He's also been working with a lot of charities that tackle addiction to drugs, building a very positive image for his company. If it gets out that Matthew is doing drugs, chances are the media will twist it around to make it look like he's neglecting his own son to help thousands of strangers."

"And Matt wouldn't want that to happen so when he realises that there's no way out, he will be forced to reveal everything that he knows about Brad," Blair said, growing more excited with each word as she started to understand where Chuck was going with this.

After listening to their plan, Serena felt worried. She knew that Chuck and Blair had some boundaries but they would have to go pretty far before they could even see it. Sharing an apprehensive look with Nate, Serena cleared her throat to get their attention. "Maybe we should wait and see if Dan is actually going to get punished before we dive head-first into revenge."

"No time," Chuck muttered hastily. "I overhead Matthew telling Bradley that he was going to leave at lunch and skip the rest of the school day. And," he paused, holding down the button to open the window of the limo. "Here he comes now."


	4. Chapter 4

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

"Matthew," Chuck said, when he was close enough. "Get into the limo."

There was always something different about Matt when he wasn't with Brad but not many people noticed this because they were always together. His expression was one of worry; Dan Humphrey was easy to handle but Chuck Bass was in a league of his own. Chastising himself for his thoughts, he told himself that he was Matthew Williams. Aside from Brad, there was no one that could compete against him. The look on Chuck's face didn't help to reassure him though. A smirk like that could only mean trouble but his curiosity eventually won him over.

Chuck purposely chose not to tell his chauffer to open the door for Matt so he had to do it himself. Sliding into the limo, his eyebrows drew together in confusion and he was surprised to find Nate, Serena and Blair in there as well. He hovered indecisively near the door, trying to figure out where he should sit. After a minute, Blair had pulled him down between Serena and her. As much as she hated having to sit next to him, it was better than having him stood right in front of her.

The silence intimidated Matt and he felt extremely uncomfortable. Glancing at Serena and Blair, he felt tempted to break the ice with a threesome comment but the words got lost on the way as he felt their stony expressions burn into him. He finally snapped and asked, "What's going on? Why am I here? What do you want?" Clenching his hands tightly together, Matt could hear his heart racing beneath his chest as he waited for his questions to be answered.

"Things have been getting a bit boring around here lately," Chuck murmured. "I was going to ask you for your dealer's number." Matt's face was immediately drained of colour and his lips trembled as he opened them to protest. "Don't bother denying it; I have proof. To my knowledge, you spent three consecutive nights at Victrola, and you were seated right beneath the security cameras." On Chuck's left, there was a blue plastic bag that he picked up before taking out four cases that were filled with disks. "I wonder what your daddy will say when he finds out that his son has a drug problem; especially after all his hard work lately."

Matt had been stunned into silence. The only thing he could do was watch the cases helplessly, wondering how far he would get if he grabbed them and made a run for it. There was no way out. He should have known that the second he got into the limo. "How?" mumbled Matt helplessly. To be honest, he wasn't sure why he was even surprised that, of all people, Chuck Bass had been the one to discover his secret.

"I'm Chuck Bass," he said with a smirk, taking advantage of the opportunity to use his favourite catchphrase. Serena and Nate didn't miss the smile that crept across Blair's face, and she quickly masked over it with an indifferent expression. "Matthew," Chuck continued. "I understand that you're very loyal but does your loyalty lie with your father, or with Bradley?"

Burying his face in his hands, Matt swallowed hard. One was his father, the other was his best mate since he had been five; how was he supposed to choose? When he forced himself to look up, Serena could see the fear in his hazel-brown eyes and felt guilty for putting him in this position. Shakily speaking, Matt asked with a gulp, "What do you want to know?"

* * *

The elevator doors opened and Serena pulled Dan into her family's penthouse apartment. She glanced around quickly, making sure that her mother wasn't there before leading him into the bedroom. Serena's mind had been filled with an avalanche of thoughts all day but when she saw Dan stood outside the school entrance, she made herself promise to deal with those problems when it was absolutely necessary. Right now, she just wanted to focus on her boyfriend.

Shutting the door behind her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips locked together in a passionate kiss. Dan dropped his bag by the side of her bed and she proceeded to remove his blazer at the same time. Serena gently fell backwards onto the duvet and Dan followed her movement, their lips never breaking apart. Her legs wrapped around his as things began to get more heated. His hands were wrapped in her hair while hers were loosening his tie, slipping down to his belt after she had removed it but before she could get it off, the door opened.

"Serena –" Lily's voice caused them to freeze momentarily, both turning their heads towards Serena's mother. Embarrassment flowed through the room, evident on all their faces as Lily turned away in an attempt to shield her vision and hastily said, "I'm sorry. I should have knocked." She quickly shut the door, her footsteps fading away with just as much speed.

Panic rushed through Dan as he clumsily moved off of Serena, accidently hitting the headboard in the process. "Dan," Serena murmured, half-amused by her boyfriend's actions. He raised a hand to his forehead while trying to shift backwards and found himself losing his balance. With a loud _thump_, he landed on the floor. Leaning over the side of the bed, Serena tried to refrain from laughing out loud, instead, releasing a few giggles in their place.

He placed a hand on the bed and pulled himself up. Sensing an opportunity, Serena grabbed his collar gently before he could get to his feet and pushed him back onto the bed, straddling him. She started kissing him again, her hands wandering to his belt, ready to finish what she had started. He tried to resist but got lost in her kisses. When she pulled away to take a breath, he swiftly sat up, panting as she leaned in again.

"Serena, your mother is home. We can't do anything in here when she is out there. What... what if she walks in on us again?" Dan moved his gaze towards the door, worried that Lily would come back into the room. Glancing back to Serena, he watched her with confusion as she grinned at him and started laughing. "You scared the life out of me," he said with a small relieved laugh when he realised that she hadn't been serious.

Resting her head on his chest, she murmured, "You're so cute when you're nervous." Dan held her protectively in his arms and placed a kiss to her forehead. She raised her head to kiss him on the lips but the message tone on her cell phone rang loudly, interrupting them. Serena groaned as she reached for her bag, pulling out her phone and muttering, "This had better be an emergency." Flipping open her phone, she found a message from Blair and bit her lip. Snapping her phone shut, she went back to Dan and kissed him briefly on the lips. "I'm really sorry but I have to go. Blair needs me."

Dan had pretty much gotten used to sharing his girlfriend with her best friend and nodded his head once. "It's okay. I have a history exam next week so I should probably start studying for that, and all my books are back at the loft anyway."

They jumped off the bed, retrieving their discarded clothing on the floor before they left her room. Her hand slipped fittingly into his and they shared a sweet smile but it disappeared rapidly when they stepped into the front room. Both of them cringed away as Rufus and Lily sat on the sofa, hands wrapped around each other while they shared a lengthy kiss. Hearing the noise, the couple broke apart and looked up in surprise.

"At least Dan and I 'got a room'," Serena muttered as she pulled Dan towards the elevators while their parents giggled like teenagers behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** This chapter focuses quite heavily on the Chuck, Blair and Nate storyline because I really like Chuck and Nate's friendship in the show.

* * *

Blair walked briskly through the entrance of the Palace hotel, heading straight for the elevators. Chuck had sent her a message telling her to come to the hotel immediately and she had passed the message along to Serena as well. It surprised her to see Chuck and Nate standing next to each other, watching the floor number that the elevator was currently passing. They snapped their heads in her direction when they heard her clear her throat loudly to get their attention.

"We followed Bradley Taylor after school and we ended up here. He was stood outside the entrance for a while but when he received a text, he quickly went inside. We asked Dexter for the room number but it turns out that Bradley had enough of a brain to register under a fake name. He watched the elevators until he received another text and he just went in. We're waiting to see what floor he is on," Chuck explained in a calm voice, switching his gaze back to the panel over the doors. "Did you tell Serena to meet us here?"

"Yes, she's on her way," replied Blair. "Okay, he's on the twelfth floor. You two can take the elevator and keep an eye on things up there. I'll wait for Serena here and we'll watch out for anyone who is going up to the same floor as Bradley." The boys nodded in agreement and hit the button for the lift. "If you find out anything, message me straight away. We need to keep in constant contact with each other."

The elevator doors opened and Chuck and Nate stepped inside, pressing the lift button for the correct floor. As soon the doors closed, an awkward silence washed over them and they looked in every direction but at each other. They still thought of one another as their best friend but the longer that Blair took to make a decision, the more their friendship was starting to deteriorate. Neither of them expected the other to back down and walk away from this but for the sake of their friendship, they really hoped that it would happen.

"You're serious about her," Nate said. It wasn't a question. The true extent of Chuck's feelings for Blair surprised no one more than Chuck himself but Nate came a close second. He never thought that his best friend would fall for his girlfriend but then again, he fell for his girlfriend's best friend so he wasn't exactly one to speak. Chuck already had his chance with her though. Nate's relationship with Vanessa had lasted for two months and in those two months, even he had hoped that his best friend would finally get together with Blair but he didn't.

"Yeah, I am," confirmed Chuck in a small sincere voice without hesitation. It wasn't easy for him to admit he had feelings but there was always a first time for everything. He remained silent as they passed the sixth floor. Ever since he had been friends with Nate, there wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for him. Nate was like the brother that he never had but Blair had managed to match Nate's importance in Chuck's life and she wasn't the only one who had to do some choosing.

Thinking back to this afternoon, Nate remembered the uncertainty in Matt's voice when he was speaking about Brad. He kept stopping, contemplating whether he should continue. There was no right or wrong answer when Matt had to decide just like there wasn't one for the three of them. Nate knew that when Blair made her choice, they would have to accept it if they were to remain friends. If Blair's heart was with Chuck, Nate wanted to make sure that he cared just as much about her.

The elevator doors opened up to the twelfth floor and Nate stepped out after Chuck. They strode towards the door that led to the stairs, waiting there so they wouldn't be spotted. Chuck was focussed on the hallway as they didn't know which room Brad was in. Taking a deep breath, Nate whispered loudly, "Chuck." When he turned towards him, Nate stared him straight in the eyes and asked him in a firm voice, "Do you love her?" He didn't reply so Nate continued speaking. "Because _I do_; I love her. If this is just a game to you, give up and walk away. You have to let us be happy."

To the rest of the Upper East Side, he knew that it seemed as if he was betraying his best friend but he hoped Nate realised that if it wasn't real, Chuck would never sacrifice their friendship. Staring out of the window, he murmured, "I love her." Nate was shocked but his astonishment was cut short by the sound of Chuck's cell phone vibrating. He read the message and glanced at Nate just as the elevator doors opened.

* * *

Out of the corner of her eye, Blair noticed a tall, blonde girl rushing towards her. She let out a small laugh but recomposed her appearance so that she was pouting when Serena finally reached her. Placing herself on the couch next to Blair, Serena tried to get her breath back and shot her friend an apologetic look. "You're going to have to do a lot more than apologise," Blair told her. "I've been sitting here for over ten minutes, just watching the elevators." When Serena gave her a confused look, she quickly explained what had happened so far. "What took you so long anyway?"

Blushing furiously, Serena said in a quiet voice, "I was with Dan." Blair raised an enquiring eyebrow even though she was fairly certain that she didn't want to listen to any of the details. "It wasn't like that," Serena protested. Mumbling in barely a whisper, she said, "My mom walked in on us." Shock and bemusement crossed paths on Blair's expression while she laughed but Serena was quick to stop her friend from jumping to conclusions. "It wasn't like she had caught us in the middle of sex though. The clothes were still on; it's just that we were... in the middle of taking them off."

"Too much information," Blair grimaced. "At least it wasn't the other way round though. Imagine walking in on Lily and Dan's father." Before Serena could respond to that unwelcome and nauseous thought, the elevator doors opened to reveal Chuck and Nate. "What are you guys doing down here?" Blair asked in an annoyed voice. "You're supposed to be up there, gathering evidence."

Removing his phone from his pocket, Chuck smirked, "Trust me, we have all the evidence that we're going to need." He scrolled through his photo album until he found the picture that he wanted, passing the phone to Blair and Serena. "Not long after Nate and I had left, you sent me a message saying that a brunette woman was also going up to the twelfth floor. You mentioned that you thought she looked familiar but you didn't know why. Well, we do. It's because she's –"

Blair gasped when she recognised the woman in the picture. "Matthew Williams' mother," she finished. Browsing through the selection of photos that Chuck had taken, she shared a shocked look with Serena as they stared down at Brad sharing a kiss with his best friend's mother.


	6. Chapter 6

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

His arm was wrapped around her waist as she buried her head absentmindedly on his shoulder. Dan had stopped by the penthouse early in the morning after having promised her on the phone last night that he would walk her to school. Throughout the entire journey, Serena had been fairly quiet, only leaning in to kiss him occasionally. He wanted to ask her what was on her mind but he could never quite get the words out. Secrecy always seemed to be the problem in their relationship yet Dan hoped that Serena would tell him when she felt the time was right.

They had arrived at school but she only realised this when she was snapped out of her thoughts by Jenny who had said "hello" to them as she walked through the entrance. Serena hadn't been able to concentrate on anything but the revelation in the hotel yesterday. They had agreed to talk to Brad about it today and see if he would talk to the headmaster on behalf of Dan. Blair had also promised her that she wouldn't send the blast to _Gossip Girl_ unless Serena had given her consent to do so. Her conscience was telling her to think about Matt who, in her opinion, really wasn't that bad and would be totally crushed if he found out the truth; not to mention his family would be torn apart.

Dan had moved his arm from around her to hold her hand, slowing to stop as he turned to face her. They kissed each other momentarily and he gave her an adoring smile. She tried to return it with a smile of her own but when she spotted Brad watching them, her stomach started to feel uneasy. Following her gaze, Dan glowered at Brad who smirked at the couple but Serena turned his attention back towards her before another confrontation broke out. A worried expression crossed his face as he asked, "Serena, are you alright? You've been quiet all morning."

Smiling reassuringly at him, she replied, "I'm fine. I'm just worried about what the headmaster is going to say tomorrow." It wasn't a complete lie because this had been playing on her mind all night although there had been more pressing matters that bothered her. Trying to change the subject slightly, she moved her arms around his waist and questioned, "Have you told your dad about the fight? I haven't mentioned anything to my mom but I'm not sure if she knows because I didn't really see her yesterday."

"I haven't said anything yet," Dan sighed. "I don't really know how to because I can see him kicking up a fuss and coming into school to talk to the headmaster. I thought I would wait to see if I'm going to get into any trouble first. Jenny obviously knows about it from _Gossip Girl_ but I made her promise not to tell my dad." He glanced around and saw Blair stepping out of the Bass limo with Chuck and Nate following her. This seemed to remind him of something as he turned back to Serena. "Did you sort out whatever it was that Blair needed you for yesterday?"

She was caught off-guard by the question and was only just able to remember what she had said to him in her bedroom the day before. "Oh, yeah," Serena mumbled in what she hoped was a convincing tone. "It turned out to be a fashion emergency," she laughed, feeling bad about lying to him. As she saw Blair subtly nodding in Brad's direction, Serena quickly wrapped her hand around Dan's and pulled him towards the school building. "Come on, let's go inside. I think the view is better in there," she added, glaring at Brad which caused Dan to laugh.

When Serena and Dan had vanished from her sight, Blair strode over to Brad with a fierce expression. Brad was surprised to see her come up to him but covered over it with a smirk that faded slightly as soon as Chuck and Nate stood on either side of her. "Okay, listen up. You are going to go into that school, find the headmaster and tell him that Dan Humphrey only punched you because you provoked him into it. And if you don't, the whole of the Upper East Side will find out that you've been having an affair with your best friend's mom."

Panic flashed across Brad's face but only for a second. Chuck and Nate shared a confused look at how blunt Blair had been. They had expected her to torture him with the suspense of the secret which was what she had intended to do in the first place. The smirk on Brad's face had needed wiping off though and she couldn't see any harm in trying out a new tactic. Brad was now glaring at her and he looked deep in thought as he wondered how they found this out. "Did Matt tell you about the girl I was seeing?" He didn't wait for them to answer him before angrily muttering, "That bastard. I can't believe he betrayed me." He didn't see any point in denying it, partially enjoying the fact that he could boast about this to Nate and Chuck. "Even if you do, I don't see why that would persuade me to help Humphrey."

Blair poked him in the chest furiously and with every step that she took forward, Brad stepped backwards until he hit the wall. "First of all, I think you're the one who betrayed Matt by sleeping with his mother. Have you even comprehended the fact that you may have split his family apart? And secondly, it looks like Matt is your only friend but I highly doubt he would want to have anything to do with – except maybe to put you in hospital – after this gets out." She took a breath before launching into another tirade. "Serena is my best friend and Humphrey is her boyfriend. If he gets in trouble, she will get upset and if Serena gets upset, I will be extremely pissed off."

Laughing silently behind her, Chuck and Nate both looked amused by her behaviour but they couldn't help admiring her loyalty to Serena. Brad, on the other hand, was getting annoyed. "Sort out your own love life, Waldorf, before you go around lecturing me about mine. You haven't got the guts to send the blast to _Gossip Girl_ and you don't have the evidence anyway. Who's going to believe you? Plus, you'll only be making things worse for Humphrey. It won't stop my father from getting him kicked out of St. Jude's so you can save your breath."

He walked away from her, barging past her while shooting the boys a dirty look. Blair glared after him, clenching her fists angrily. "Bass, pass me your phone now. I'm going to send those pictures to _Gossip Girl_ and teach that bastard not to mess with a Waldorf." Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he passed it to Blair with an impressed smirk. She took it wordlessly and started typing out a message but paused, groaning to herself. "Damn, I promised Serena that I wouldn't send it without telling her." Her eyes lit up as an idea came to mind. "One of you can send it instead."

"No, Blair," Nate said firmly. "You cannot order us around."

She pouted at him but after noticing the determination in his eyes, she gave up and turned to Chuck who also shook his head in refusal. Glancing between the school and Chuck's phone, her thumb hovered over the keypad. Blair inhaled heavily and muttered, "Sorry, S" prior to clicking the 'send' button. All around her, message tones began to ring almost instantly and she threw the phone back towards Chuck, making her way through the students who had started to discuss this with disbelief in their groups.

Inside the school, cell phones were ringing simultaneously as well and Serena moved her lips away from Dan's to flip open her own phone. She froze when she saw the message was from _Gossip Girl_ and quickly closed it again. Scanning the hallway, she saw almost every student looking at the post and she heard Brad's name in the flurry of whispers. To be honest, she should have known that Blair would be too tempted to get revenge but she would have appreciated a warning beforehand. Clearing her throat, she told Dan, "I need to use the restroom. You don't have to wait for me. It's almost time for first lesson."

Dan had the feeling that she was hiding something from him again but judging by the reactions of the students around them, he knew it was related to _Gossip Girl_ which meant that he would find out anyway. Kissing her for a few seconds, he brushed her hair out of her eyes and smiled. "I'll see you later," he said as he started down the hallway.

Rushing towards the girls' bathroom, Serena didn't notice Brad staring at his screen in horror as she passed him. He didn't know that Blair Waldorf had actually managed to get pictures of them. He thought that she was just clutching at straws and not for one second did he ever imagine that she would have proof. Brad's first thought was that his family's reputation, as well as his own, was ruined but panic rushed through him when he realised that his friendship with Matt was over. They had been best friends for over ten years and now it had been destroyed. His head was thumping furiously; he knew that things could only go downhill from here but it was too painful to think about.

Seeing the flash of blonde hair fly past him, he snapped his head up and gritted his teeth at the sight of Serena. Following her into the bathroom, he silently picked up a mop that was leaning against the wall and used it to block the door. Stepping gently in her footsteps, he realised that he had nothing to lose now. This was all her fault. She spun around when she felt someone else's presence besides hers and watched him nervously, edging towards a cubicle.

He flew at her, pinning her to the ground while she screamed but he quickly covered her mouth with his hand. Despite his excessive smoking and constant intake of alcohol, Brad participated in many sports and had a built upper-body. Slapping Serena across the face to silence her further, he slipped his left hand down to her skirt and ripped it away from her body. Struggling under his grip, Serena tried to move her legs but to no avail. Brad crashed his lips against her, clumsily removing her thong at the same time. He launched himself into her and she whimpered from the pain before gathering enough strength to let out a deafening scream.


	7. Chapter 7

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

Blair rushed into the school, determined to find Serena and apologise to her. The hallway was beginning to fill with students making their way to the first lesson of the day and Blair tried to glance over their heads in an attempt to spot Serena. As she passed the girls' bathroom, a muffled, but nonetheless loud, scream could be heard. Everyone froze and looked towards it. Blair tried to open the door but found that there was something blocking it from inside.

She pulled her cell phone out of her bag and hit Serena's number on her speed dial. Serena's ring tone rang out from the bathroom and Blair frantically as she tried to open the door again while her heart thumped furiously. Noticing Chuck and Nate walking towards her, she told them in a rush, "I think Serena's in there. I heard someone scream but I can't get the door open. You have to help her. I don't know what's wrong." Kicking the door, she cried out in frustration and concern.

Springing into action, Nate pushed her to the side gently and stepped back, clearing a small pathway within the students. Taking a deep breath, he ran towards the door and kicked it open. It swung back slightly as the mop snapped into two. He kicked it again and then pushed it out of the way; his feet grinded to a halt when he saw the two figures on the floor. Blair and Chuck had rushed in after him and the students could hear her sharp intake of breath before she broke out into a sob.

Nate and Chuck each took one of Brad's arms and pulled him off of Serena allowing Blair to rush to her side. The tears fell harder when she took in Serena's broken appearance. Her lips were bleeding from where Brad had kissed her so roughly that he had actually managed to bite her; her arms and legs were red and starting to bruise after having been held down tightly by him. Removing her coat quickly, Blair covered Serena's lower body with it and held her close as Serena buried her tear-stained face in her best friend's shoulder.

In the crowd of bystanders were Eric and Jenny, who had heard the commotion. They saw Nate and Chuck throw Brad into a wall, kicking him roughly. Brad had managed to pull his boxers back up but his pants were still hanging around his ankles. Filled with fear as he ran into the bathroom, Eric stood in shock at the sight of his sister while Jenny brought a hand to her mouth and tried to smother the gasps that were threatening to escape her. She murmured, "I'm going to go find Dan" to Eric before pushing her way through the shell-shocked students and hurrying down the hall.

Eric went back into the hallway and glared at Brad who was now lying on the floor and wincing in pain. "That's my sister!" he shouted, pushing Nate out of the way and pulling Brad to his feet. He swung his fist towards Brad's bleeding face and flew at him. Nate and Chuck held him back and gently moved him into the bathroom again. Taking his sister's side, he rested a hand on her shoulder while she clung tightly onto Blair, unable to do anything more than that tiny gesture.

"What is going on here?" demanded the Constance Billard headmistress. She was astonished to find the girls' bathroom door broken, a St. Jude's student lying on the floor covered in blood and when she moved into the bathroom, her eyes grew wide at what she saw. Turning to face the students, she ordered loudly, "I want you all to go to your first lesson now. Mr Archibald, go find your headmaster immediately and Mr Bass, please call your stepmother and have come to the school right away." The students cleared away slowly as she took control of the situation.

Dan sprinted down the hallway but to his annoyance, he was travelling against the current of students. "Get out of my way!" he shouted angrily, desperately pushing past them and ignoring the dirty looks that they sent in his direction. He stopped abruptly when he saw Brad attempting to sit up. "You fucking bastard!" Throwing himself at Brad, he repeatedly punched him while Jenny pleaded with him to stop. When he saw what was happening, Chuck snapped his phone shut and pulled him away from Brad just as Nate had arrived with the headmaster.

At that moment, Matt stormed down the hallway with his cell phone clenched in his hand. "How could you?" he yelled furiously, causing every head to turn towards him. "You're my best friend! She's my mother! How could you sleep with my mother?" Launching himself at Brad, he slammed his head against a window, aiming a blow to his gut. Although they knew that Brad deserved every punch and kick that had gone his way, Nate and Chuck still proceeded to pry Matt off of him.

Leaving the headmaster to deal with Brad, Dan rushed into the bathroom and whispered in a pained voice, "Serena." Although Serena and Blair were crying loudly and Eric was sniffling beside her, she still managed to hear him and lifted her head slightly. His heart was crushed when he saw her scared expression and he moved swiftly to her side. Blair reluctantly loosened her grip around Serena so that Dan could hold her as well. He kissed her forehead and murmured against her hair, "Everything's going to be okay. I love you. I promise you, I'm not going to leave you."

They were sat like this for several minutes. Dan was whispering comforting words to his girlfriend, Blair was stroking her best friend's hair gently, and Eric had clasped his sister's hand tightly in between his. Stood by the bathroom door, looking in on the scene, were Jenny, Chuck and Nate. They didn't know what else they could do but watch. The headmaster had called the police and an ambulance while Lily had rung Chuck and tearfully told him that they were almost at the school.

Footsteps clattered loudly against the hall, building in speed and volume as they got louder. Lily burst into the bathroom and knelt down in front of Serena with tears staining her mascara. She whispered her daughter's name almost incoherently and held her protectively against her body while one arm pulled Eric close to her as well. Rufus rested a hand against his son's shoulder but he shrugged it off and stood up, furiously trying to wipe away the tears that had fallen in anguish.

"Mrs van der Woodsen," said Headmistress Queller in a quiet sympathetic tone, interrupting the distraught silence. "The ambulance service is here. They would like to take Serena to the hospital to check for any injuries that may have been sustained. There are also two officers who wish to follow Serena to the hospital and ask questions when possible. They are waiting outside for you."

Nodding absentmindedly, Lily started to stand up, gently pulling a shaking Serena to her feet with Eric providing support for his sister. Serena's eyes were filled with fear, tears spilling over endlessly in her eyes. Picking up her coat, Blair wrapped it around Serena but their height difference meant that it didn't even reach her knees. Shuffling slowly out of the bathroom, Serena dropped her gaze to the ground and refused to make eye contact with anyone. Blair was relieved to find that Brad was not outside although part of her hoped she would see him again. He may have been punched by Nate, Chuck, Eric, Dan and Matt but Blair was yet to make him suffer for what he had done to Serena.

Her friends watched solemnly as she clung onto her mother and slowly walked down the hallway with the paramedics on one while Rufus and the officers followed behind them wordlessly. It wasn't until Lily had guided Serena through the door of the building that the reality of the situation hit Blair. She hurried up to the headmistress and said firmly, "I want to go with her. Serena is my best friend. I'm not abandoning her when she needs me."

"Miss Waldorf, I sympathise with you but Miss van der Woodsen has her mother by her side. She will be well-looked after," Headmistress Queller said as she tried to reason with Blair. When she saw the sad determination on Blair's face, she sighed softly and decided to compromise. "Miss Waldorf, if you attend all your morning classes, I will allow you to leave during lunch and it will be the same for you, Miss Humphrey." Jenny looked surprised that she was included but nodded quickly in gratitude. She turned to face the boys and said, "I'm sure the headmaster will not object to you leaving with Miss Waldorf as well."

The headmaster nodded his approval and said, "The four of you have my consent to leave at lunch. Mr Humphrey, your previous actions against Mr Taylor the day before will not result in any punishment." He placed a hand on Eric's shoulder and squeezed it as a form of comfort. "I'm sure your teachers will understand if you are late to class. Take as much time as you need," he smiled before turning away to leave with the headmistress.

As the six of them stood there, reflecting on the events of the morning, Blair felt it taking its toll on her as she collapsed into Chuck's arms and let out muffled sobs into his chest. Dan raised a fist and threw it against the wall in frustration while Jenny looked on helplessly at her brother's pain. She pulled Eric into a hug when she saw the tears sliding silently down his face. Watching Blair seek comfort in Chuck brought out the jealousy in Nate but it vanished when the broken door caught his eye. The six teenagers stood in the hallway, all consumed by concern for their friend as the severity of the morning's events finally sunk in.


	8. Chapter 8

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

* * *

They were stood in the elevators waiting for it to reach the van der Woodsen's penthouse apartment. As soon as lunch had begun, the six of them had hastily piled into the Bass limo. Blair groaned impatiently, looking extremely irritated and frustrated when the elevator doors finally opened. They all rushed to leave at once but unsurprisingly, Blair was the first to exit. When they walked into the front room, two officers were coming out of Serena's bedroom with Lily and Rufus trailing behind them. Lily was wearing a concerned expression that only succeeding in worrying Blair even more.

Hurrying into Serena's room, she froze in the doorway when she saw her best friend curled up in a ball on her bed, hugging the duvet close to her while her fearful blue eyes were drowning in tears. Unable to stop her own tears from falling, Blair made her way cautiously over to the bed, hoping that she wouldn't scare her friend. Looking in on the scene, Eric turned to Jenny for support and she led him back into the front room where Chuck and Nate were talking to Lily. Gripping the frame of the doorway tightly for support, Dan chastised himself for not being able to comfort his own girlfriend.

"Serena," Blair whispered in a tiny voice. Lifting her head slightly at the sound of her best friend's voice, Serena shrunk sharply into the covers causing Blair to stop abruptly, taking it as a sign that she had done something wrong. She was surprised to find Serena slowly raising a shaking hand towards her but she responded quickly by gently clasping her own hand around it. Blair sat herself on the bed and moved Serena's head onto her lap, stroking her hair like she had done earlier. "Serena," repeated Blair while she tried to choke back the tears. "I'm so sorry. I should never have sent the _Gossip Girl_ blast without your permission. This is my fault. I'm really sorry."

Dan's knuckles were turning white from the hold he had on the doorframe. After the attack this morning, he had actually managed to reduce Blair to tears by shouting at her until she told him the full story. He felt bad for upsetting her and had apologised straight away although he didn't notice the constant glares that Chuck and Nate had shot him throughout the day. Guilt wrenched through him when he realised the extent that Serena had gone to in an attempt to protect him. If he hadn't of reacted rashly and stupidly by punching Bradley then it would not have led to the morning's events.

Serena remained silent, clinging onto Blair who responded with a similar desperate need for her best friend. Lily and Chuck's voices travelled from the front room, passing the doorway which Dan had occupied, and into the bedroom. "The doctors checked over her and said that she has some cuts and bruises that will heal in their own time but they are worried about her mental health," Lily explained. "The press have been dealt with. The only problem is that Serena won't press charges. I don't know what to do. I asked her to think more clearly about the situation before making a decision but she was adamant about it and she hasn't said a word since then. I don't want to pressurise her."

The silence in the penthouse meant that everyone had heard what Lily had told Chuck. They all jumped in shock when Dan suddenly shouted in a furious voice, "What do you mean she's not pressing charges?!" Rufus advanced towards his son, trying to calm him down and move him away from Serena's room. "He _raped_ her and you're just going to let him walk away from this?" he asked Lily in disbelief. Turning to face Serena, the anger vanished from his expression and his stomach dropped when he realised that he had scared her. Inhaling deeply, he nervously entered the room.

As he approached the bed, Dan knelt down so that he was at eye level with Serena. Her eyes stared emptily into his and when he reached for her hand, she pulled it back, seeking further comfort in Blair who gave him a sympathetic look. He watched with a crushed heart, feeling hopeless and ashamed at himself for how inconsiderate he had been with his actions. Getting to his feet again, Dan stared at the fragile and broken girl for a long second before spinning around reluctantly to leave.

"Don't leave me." Her quiet but frantic whisper stopped him immediately. A small reassuring smile tugged at his lips and Dan resumed his previous position. Exchanging a worried look with Blair, Dan moved his hand towards Serena's, anxious that the tiniest mistake could push her away from him. "Are you mad at me?" asked Serena. The timid expression on her face reminded Dan of a young child who had done something naughty and was worried that they would get in trouble for it. Serena hadn't done anything wrong though and even in the past, he could never truly be mad at her for long.

"Hey," he said softly, wiping away the tears on her cheek with his free hand. "I could never be mad at you. I have no reason to be. You haven't done anything wrong." Swallowing the lump in his throat, he continued, "I'm sorry Serena. I should have protected you. I should have stayed by your side." She closed her eyes against his touch, absorbing his words but she was still unable to provide a response. "I love you, Serena." Blair shifted carefully off of the bed so that Dan could take her place. Blair bent down slightly and gently informed Serena that she was only a couple of footsteps away if she needed her. She then got up and left the room, sensing their need for some privacy.

Clinging onto Dan's arm, Serena suddenly burst into a fresh bout of tears. Holding her close to him, Dan frantically tried to comfort her. "It's okay. I'm here. No one is going to hurt you. I promise you. Everything's going to be alright. You're safe." The sobs eventually subsided and her breathing changed from heavy gasps to a gentle movement of air. Although Dan was in an uncomfortable position, he made no attempt to move, choosing to wrap his arms protectively around her instead. Serena welcomed this action and relaxed a little, knowing that there was a shield that had to be penetrated before she would encounter any pain again.

"I feel dirty," she confessed in a quivering voice against his chest. "I feel weak and... and vulnerable." Dan felt relieved to know that she wasn't bottling up her feelings but he couldn't help feeling worried that this would soon turn into a breakdown. Knowing that he had to be strong for her, he listened intently to each word, getting ready to jump in when necessary. "I feel stupid," she cried, her voice rising. "He destroyed me in thirty seconds. He's right. I'm a slut. I don't deserve you." He couldn't stand to hear her blame herself and he quickly blinked back the tears. "Please don't leave me." Serena let out a small whimper and fell silent again as he held her tightly against his chest.

Fighting against his own opinions on the situation, Dan murmured, "I won't. I'm _never_ going to leave you. No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you, Serena. I promise you. I won't ever let you down again." Dan knew that he shouldn't push the subject but it became too much for him as he struggled to understand why she wasn't pressing charges. "Serena," he whispered, waiting warily for some gesture to show that she was listening. As the silence remained untouched, he stared at the ceiling with indecision and exhaled slowly. "He's a bastard. He deserves everything that's coming to him but... he won't get punished if you don't tell the police what happened. I know it's hard but like I promised, I'll be with you every step of the way."

"I just want to forget about it," Serena immediately protested. "Dan, please don't make me relive it." Sniffling timidly, she pleaded in an exhausted tone, "Stay with me tonight." Dan watched her eyelids droop heavily and eventually close before he kissed her forehead tenderly and quietly kicked off his shoes. She drifted into an innocent, peaceful slumber and he smiled half-heartedly at her beauty. Despite everything, Dan knew that it had only made their relationship stronger. The happiness faded though when he was forced to admit that Serena still had a mountain to climb when she steps out of her room. He was certain about one thing though: they were going to get through this _together_.


	9. Chapter 9

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** I dedicated half the chapter to the Blair, Chuck and Nate storyline as it has reached a conclusion now. Also, I haven't proofread the chapter fully so I apologise for any mistakes there may be. The next chapter may possibly be the last one because I did my first exam today and I still have another fifteen to go which means that I really have to revise.

* * *

Blair watched Lily talking on her cell phone, looking frustrated and concerned. However, she didn't notice Chuck and Nate who were transfixed on her from opposite sides of the room. When the boys caught each other's eyes, they quickly glanced away and dropped their gazes to the drinks in their hands. As Nate looked up again, a lump formed in his throat to see Blair sneaking a subtle look at Chuck. Draining the rest of his water, bitter thoughts entered his mind when he realised that Blair wanted to be with Chuck; it was Chuck's arms that she had fallen into this morning, not his.

He couldn't help noticing that Blair was deliberately pacing worriedly in front of Chuck who, in turn, was intensely following every movement that she made. Nate was never one to give up. He had fought hard for Blair during these past few weeks but he wasn't going to put all this effort into a relationship that she didn't even want; at least, not with him. Crossing the room, he tried to keep his temper under control as he stepped right into Blair's path. "Blair," he said loudly, trying to get her attention. She stopped and looked at him. "I love you."

Sliding off the stool and standing up, Chuck waited anxiously for Blair's reaction. As Nate had predicted, she turned to look at Chuck with sadness welling in her brown eyes. Their eyes locked together fittingly to finally complete the puzzle. It was time for him to step up. He knew it, Blair knew it and Nate knew that things were going the way he had intended them to. All Blair needed to hear were those three words, those eight letters but Chuck was scared to say them. What kind of best friend would Nate be if he didn't help him out? He exhaled in defeat as Chuck walked towards them.

"Say it," pleaded Blair with tears threatening to spill over in her eyes.

Chuck glanced at Nate, torn between his best friend and the only girl he has ever loved. Nate nodded at him, encouraging him to reveal the truth. "Blair," he whispered. The expression on his face told Blair that he was struggling to get the words out but she knew they were in there. Touching his hand but never taking her gaze off of his face, their fingers intertwined. They were stood with their faces close together; Blair's heart was racing as she felt his hot breath against her lips. "I love you." The words were spoken softly; filled with sincerity, tenderness, security, and most important of all, love itself. It was all she ever wanted.

The smile on Blair's face was wider than ever yet it kept on spreading. Happiness wiped out any traces of misery in her eyes and she threw her arms around Chuck's neck, their lips meeting in a kiss that was unlike one that Chuck had experienced before. It was passionate but at the same time it was gentle as well and it symbolised the start of a relationship that was long overdue. Feeling jealous but desperately wanting to be happy, Nate started to walk away as the couple's embrace made it feel as if he were intruding. His footsteps pulled Blair back to reality and she quickly broke the kiss, calling after him as he reached the elevators.

She ran to hug him and he gently reassured her. "Blair, if I wasn't okay with this then I would never have done what I just did." They pulled away from each other and he said, "I need to go home now because I have a history paper to finish but I will see you _both_ tomorrow. Let me know straight away if anything happens with Serena." The elevator doors opened and Nate smiled at her as he walked through them. "We all promised to remain friends no matter what the outcome was. I still care about you and Chuck is always going to be my best friend. That is never going to change."

Wiping away a tear, Blair gave him a small wave and then went back into the front room where Chuck was waiting for her. She strode over to him and allowed herself to be held tightly against his chest. "Chuck," she murmured. "Serena is my number one priority at the moment. I can't focus on our relationship until I'm a hundred percent certain that she is going to be alright. She's my best friend." Stepping back, she stole a look at his expression, hoping that he would understand.

"Let me show you something," smiled Chuck, taking her hand and leading her towards Serena's bedroom. He opened the door to reveal the couple holding tightly onto one another as they slept. Serena occasionally shuddered but Dan would unconsciously pull her closer to him, keeping her safe. "I know how important Serena is to you and I'm fine with that but I just wanted you to know that she has Dan to protect her." Chuck closed the door again and turned Blair to face him. "Just like you have me," he added with a genuine smile that was rare to the world but natural for Blair. She reached up to kiss him happily. He may not have always been her Prince Charming but in the end, he was the one who gave her the 'happily ever after'.

* * *

The sunlight streaked through the window, blinding Dan as he opened his eyes wearily. Looking around for a second, memories of the previous day came flooding back. He glanced down to see Serena sleeping comfortably with her head on his chest. The light continued to blur his vision and he slowly moved himself off of the bed, holding a hand up to his eyes to shield them against the sun. When he reached the foot of the bed, Dan heard Serena stir from behind him and then whisper in a panicked voice, "Dan? Dan, where are you?"

Instantly spinning around, Dan hurried over to the bed. "Serena, I'm here," he assured her. "I was just going to close the curtains because I didn't want the sunlight to wake you." Sitting down, he gently stroked her cheek with his hand. They remained like this for a few minutes, smiling softly while Serena unconsciously traced patterns on his arm. Dan acted on impulse and started to lean in but by the time he had realised what he was doing, their faces were already inches away. As he hesitated, Serena surprised him by brushing her lips against his. It lasted a brief second but the smile on her face was brightened by the tender moment.

Outside, the elevator doors opened and they could hear several muffled greetings. The door opened slowly and Blair looked into the room cautiously, careful not to wake Serena. She pushed the door open wider and smiled happily at her best friend when she saw that she was awake. Making her way over to the bed, Blair pulled Serena into a hug, wrapping her arms firmly around her. "I love you, S," she murmured. "Come on, you look like you need a shower," Blair said with a laugh, gently moving Serena off of the bed. Turning towards Dan, she said, "Humphrey, could you help Serena into the bathroom? I'll be there soon. I just need to pick out some clothes for her."

Dan smiled gratefully for her help and wrapped an arm securely around Serena's waist, placing a kiss on her forehead. Watching as they left the room, Blair made sure that she was on her own before reaching for Serena's cell phone which was lying on the bedside table. She picked it up and scrolled through the list of new messages, deleting all of the _Gossip Girl_ posts. Sighing with relief, Blair approached the closet; she chose clothes that she thought would be comfortable for Serena and made her way into the bathroom. Dan left the room, allowing Blair to help Serena out of her clothes and into the shower. After Blair had made sure that Serena was going to be alright, she went outside and shut the door behind her.

Forty-five minutes later, the door to the bathroom opened and Serena walked into the front room, confused as she watched her friends running around in the kitchen. Jenny was the first to spot her and she rushed over to Serena, leading her over to the table. "We are going to make you feel like Bella today," Jenny beamed, pulling out a chair for Serena to sit on. "I have to apologise about your Edward though. We tried to get Robert Pattinson but he couldn't make it on such short notice so we had to settle for Dan instead." She laughed as she dodged Dan's swiping hand from across the table.

Eric, who was wearing a huge smile, started setting plates of food down on the table. "We made you toast; Chuck did the butter, Jenny did the jam and Nate did the peanut butter. Blair supplied the croissants, Dan made the coffee and I picked up some muffins for you." He gave her a hug and leaned against another chair. "We just wanted you to have the perfect morning." Serena smiled at the effort that her friends had gone to and although she wasn't really hungry, she reached for a slice of toast and took a bite. This satisfied Eric but his expression changed to one of panic as he glanced at the clock. "Oh, I need to get changed for school," he muttered and ran for the stairs.

"Speaking of school," Blair began. "Humphrey, I think you're in need of a shower as well." Rolling his eyes at her, Dan pulled out a chair and sat down next to Serena with her cup of coffee. "S, I've planned the whole day out for us. We are going to watch lots of movies, do each others' nails and talk about boys. It will be like we're ten all over again." Serena smiled at her friend's enthusiasm and she also didn't miss the arm that Chuck had wrapped around Blair's waist.

Dan, on the other hand, frowned in confusion as he gave Blair a puzzled look. "What about school?" He glanced at the time and realised that if he was going to go home, take a shower and put on a fresh shirt and a clean pair of pants, then he was definitely going to be late for school. Although to be honest, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to go at all. He'd rather spend the day with Serena if he was given the choice.

"I'm not going," Blair replied matter-of-factly. "Serena and I are going to enjoy ourselves today." When she noticed that Serena was about to protest, she shook her head quickly and said in a firm tone, "No arguments. I could do with a day off and who better to share it with than my best friend?" As Eric rushed down the flight of stairs, she stole a glance at the clock and turned to give Chuck a kiss. "You're all going to be late if you don't hurry."

As soon as she had finished speaking, everyone instantly started to gather their belongings. Dan got up and went into Serena's room, picking up his shoes and his school bag. Eric, Jenny and Nate strode over to the elevators and impatiently hit the button several times. Chuck leant in to kiss Blair again and if she hadn't of pulled away from him a few seconds later, he probably would have forgotten all about school. Struggling to put his other shoe on as he went back into the front room, Dan gently kissed Serena on the cheek, murmuring, "I love you" before running after Chuck. Serena's expression fell as Dan disappeared from sight but when Blair turned to face her, she quickly smiled again, determined to hide how broken she really was inside.


	10. Chapter 10

**Gossip Girl – Secrets**

**Author: L**

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gossip Girl or any of its characters.

**Author's Note:** This is the final chapter. I want to thank everybody for reading and reviewing this story. I really appreciate it.

* * *

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder as he tightened his grip around her arm protectively. Serena listened to the silence in the limo and thought back over the past three days. On Friday, she was sat on the couch in the front room watching movies with Blair all day. Every now and again, Serena could feel her best friend focussing on her instead of the television. Blair was evidently worried about her but she was trying her best to pretend as if nothing had happened, just like Serena was doing. However, she didn't know that Serena had not stopped thinking about it since the morning it had happened; at times, Serena felt the shield of strength around her slowly slipping away.

When Dan, Chuck, Nate, Eric and Jenny had returned back to the penthouse, they deliberately evaded Serena's questions about school, choosing to comment on the movie that they were currently watching instead. They didn't want to talk about anything that could possibly upset Serena. Feigning happiness soon became exhausting for Serena but she carried on, not wanting to break down. It was also hard for the six of them to act normal around her but they persevered, oblivious to the fact that she was bottling up her feelings. The weekend consisted of the same routine as Serena spent both Saturday and Sunday indoors, playing board games and watching movies.

Despite Lily, Blair, Dan and basically everybody else's objections, Serena had insisted that she would like to return to school today. It was too soon, she knew that, but she also knew that her friends were struggling to keep up their facade. They had done so much for her and if she could just make it through one day of school then maybe they could start to focus on their own lives. Dan and Nate had spent practically every minute with her which meant that they hadn't been able to complete their history papers. She had also caught Blair sneaking into her room and deleting posts from _Gossip Girl_ each time Serena's message tone had rung. She didn't want to be a burden anymore.

The limo started to slow down as it reached the entrance of the school and Serena waited nervously, dreading the moment that it would stop. Silence washed through the limo and she reluctantly opened her eyes, greeted by worried expressions. A feeble smile tugged at her lips as she waited for the chauffer to open the door but Chuck had instructed him not to move until he was asked to. "I'm fine," Serena tried to persuade them but her voice had quivered at the end, throwing any credibility of the statement out of the window. She decided to try again. "I'm fine; honestly, I am. If there are any problems, I promise to tell you straight away and then I will immediately go home."

Chuck glanced at Blair, who was seated on the other side of Serena, and waited for her to make a decision. She sighed and nodded at him before Chuck turned to the chauffer, letting him know that he could do his job. When he opened the door, the brightness of the sunlight surprised Serena and she shrunk closer to Dan. He watched her worriedly as she opened her eyes again, attempting to bring her breathing rate back to normal. Chuck and Nate were the first to step out, followed by Eric, Jenny and then Blair. Dan held his breath, waiting until Serena was ready to leave the limo. Steadying her nerves, Serena shifted along the seat and towards the door until a wave of fresh air washed over her.

Shakily setting her foot onto the ground, Serena held onto the door for support and pulled herself into a standing position. Dan quickly emerged from the limo and resumed his protective stance, holding Serena close to him. The chauffer closed the limo door and returned to the driver's seat, pulling away from where they were stood. She watched the limo turn the corner, disappearing from her view and the fear started to take effect. Staring at the magnificent Constance Billard building, Serena felt lost and began to panic. A crowd was forming around them as students from both schools whispered loudly among themselves with several cameras pointing at Serena.

As the sound of a shutter rang through the air, Serena flinched and turned to bury her head on Dan's shoulder, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of anxiety. Blair and Nate angrily turned around and shouted at the students causing them to disperse immediately, muttering as they walked through the entrance. Lifting her head slightly, Dan felt his heart break at the sight of his girlfriend's tear-stained face as she cried, "I can't do this. I really thought that I would be able to but I can't. I'm sorry." Chuck, hearing this, pulled out his cell phone and told the chauffer to return to the school to pick Serena up and take her home. Eric and Jenny watched helplessly as Dan tried to comfort her.

"Serena, it's okay. If you're not ready, no one's going to blame you. None of us expected you to forget this so quickly. It'll take some time but I want you to remember that you will always have me by your side. Serena, I love you and I promise I will help you through this," Dan whispered into her hair. He felt her grip tighten around him and he stroked her hair soothingly, occasionally kissing her forehead as they waited for the limo to return. He looked up in time to see Blair glower threateningly at a girl who was about to take a picture with her cell phone. The arrival of the Bass limo caught his attention and he gently pulled away from Serena. "The limo's here," he murmured.

Lifting her head off of his shoulder, Serena took a step towards the limo as the chauffer hurried to open the door for her. When she glanced at her friends, Serena felt indecision surging through her. "I think I'm going to stay," she whispered timidly. Her friends wore expressions of disbelief and concern but she found the strength to continue before Blair could protest. "I know you are really worried about me but I also know that the only way I can walk into that school is if I have every single one of you by my side, and I do. I need to do this because if I don't, he'll... he'll always have this power over me," Serena explained, biting her lip at the thought of Bradley Taylor.

There was a moment of silence as they all pondered whether or not to agree with her decision. Serena glanced at Dan but he was lost in thought. After a minute, he finally turned towards her and asked, "Are you sure?" When she nodded in response, Dan wrapped his hand around hers and smiled. "Okay, I'll be here for you, just like I promised. We're going to get through this together." Serena took a step towards him happily and their lips met in a gentle embrace. In that instance, Serena realised that her source of strength came from the knowledge that Dan would always be there to protect her. They pulled away from each other and she stayed close to his side as the seven of them walked through the school entrance, ready to fight Serena's fears together.

**

* * *

**

The End


End file.
